The exhibition with works by Nadir Afonso – “I haven’t given an hour yet” – is now open to the public at Diana Bar, promoted by the International Museum of Contemporary Art of Póvoa de Varzim (MIAC) in collaboration with the City Council. The exhibition is part of the activities and initiatives celebrating the 50th anniversary of Póvoa de Varzim being elevated to city status.
The exhibition brings to Póvoa and to an emblematic building in the city, the works of Nadir Afonso that traveled from Chaves, the architect and painter’s hometown. Although the paintings are only now arriving, the thinker, who passed away in 2013, even visited Póvoa de Varzim, during holidays when he was still a child with his family.
Laura Afonso, Nadir’s wife and director of the Nadir Afonso Foundation, was present on the opening day and after thanking her, she told how the name for this exhibition came about. “We called this exhibition – No time yet… – which is how Fernando Pessoa’s Marinheiro begins. And since we are here by the sea, it seemed like a good option.” For Laura, this exhibition “in one way or another evokes human figures, the sea and the beach. And at the same time it’s like a return to childhood, because Póvoa de Varzim was the beach of choice for most people in Chaves. When the summer and the heat arrived, people from Chaves came to spend a few days in Póvoa de Varzim, so there is always a great emotional connection to Póvoa de Varzim and that was the reason why we understood that this type was very suitable. of paintings.” She finished her speech, recounting episodes from Nadir Afonso’s life.
Tomás Carneiro, curator of this exhibition, was happy to have Nadir Afonso’s works in Póvoa de Varzim and added that “in this exhibition and as already mentioned, the human figure is very present. For those who thought that Nadir only painted buildings or cities, here is proof to the contrary” and highlighted “Nadir Afonso was on vacation in Póvoa de Varzim and, when leafing through the catalog, they find a photograph of the family in which he is present, taken on a beach of Póvoa de Varzim”. Tomás Carneiro recalled the last time Nadir was in Póvoa. “It was in 1976, at the Encontros de Artes in Póvoa de Varzim and, here at Diana Bar, where he did some work with a group of artists, they were: Graça Morais, Albuquerque Mendes and João Bicho. These works were then delivered to Sopete, now Casino da Póvoa and no one knows where this work is and I would really like to find it”, it was with this hope that he ended his words.
The Mayor, Aires Pereira, was also present and began by saying “today is an important day for us, because it is the first time that Diana Bar presents itself in this way, after this recovery” and admitted “we have had There has been a difficulty for some time in Póvoa de Varzim, a place to hold exhibitions, and the Diana Bar has a lot of light, sometimes there is too much light and in that sense it also makes it difficult”. “But I think this first step allows us to have this exhibition here and what exposure for this first event at Diana”, said the mayor. He continued, then listing the initiatives that are part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Póvoa de Varzim becoming a city. “We still have a set of very relevant events from now until June, ranging from theater, music and exhibitions, so that in some way we can involve all the people of Póvoa de Varzim in this celebration, which also allows us to take a look back at what was Póvoa in 1973 and what it is today. Without nostalgia, but knowing the journey we took to get here”, added Aires Pereira.
The mayor invited all local people to be present not only in the aforementioned activities, but also on June 16th, City Day, where a year-long cycle of celebrations comes to an end.
The exhibition with the works of Nadir Afonso will be on view at Diana Bar until the 20th of July. Entry is free.
